Pension funding holds up NHL talk

No deal can be reached unless issue is resolved

Associated Press

Associated Press

Published 9:39 pm, Wednesday, January 2, 2013

This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig Kulluk aground off a small island near Kodiak Island Tuesday Jan. 1, 2013. A Coast Guard C-130 plane and a helicopter were used to fly over the grounded vessel on Tuesday morning. The severe weather did not permit putting the marine experts on board the drilling rig, which is near shore and being pounded by stormy seas. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard)

This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the Royal Dutch...

FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2012, file photo, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, right, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly speak to reporters in New York. The NHL made a new proposal to the players' association, hoping to spark talks to end the long lockout and save the hockey season. Daly said Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, the league made its offer Thursday and was waiting for a response. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

NEW YORK — The NHL players' association delivered its latest counteroffer to the league Wednesday as the two sides try to resolve the lockout.

That makes four offers between the sides since the NHL restarted the negotiation process Thursday with a new contract proposal. What has become a major point of contention is how a player's pension will be funded.

A small group meeting on the pension issue was held Wednesday morning before the players' association presented its latest offer to the league during a one-hour afternoon meeting. A deal can't be done without a resolution on pensions.

The union and the NHL could meet again later Wednesday after the league looks over the proposal. The league presented the players with a counteroffer Tuesday night.

The lockout has reached its 109th day, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said that the league told the union a deal needs to be in place by Jan. 11 so a 48-game season can begin eight days later. All games through Jan. 14 along with the All-Star Game have been canceled, claiming more than 50 percent of the original schedule.

Wednesday night is the deadline for the players' association to declare a "disclaimer of interest," which would dissolve the union and make it a trade association. That would allow players to file antitrust lawsuits against the NHL. If the deadline passes, union members could vote again to authorize their board to file a disclaimer at a later date.